The company carried out an abrasive jet perforation with coiled tubing in a deep horizontal well in Vaca Muerta, completing six clusters and stabilizing surface pressure at 8,000 psi. The milestone underscores the ongoing trend of reducing non-productive time and improving operational efficiency in the shale.
Associated gas — the gas that inevitably emerges as a byproduct of oil production in the black oil and liquids-rich window of the Neuquén formation — is rich in high-value components. In January, output climbed to 26.7 million cubic meters per day, setting a historic record. The industry is closely monitoring the trend, as it could open the door to a new business opportunity.
Despite falling international prices, Argentina’s energy sector maintained a positive balance and posted a record surplus of $7.815 billion in 2025, driven by unconventional production and lower import dependence.
Argentina is emerging as a regional shale powerhouse, but with weak Brent prices and higher costs, the market in 2026 will demand greater, almost surgical efficiency. The energy map is being rewritten, and the question is whether profitability will hold in the next chapter.
The province has identified areas of significant thickness and thermal maturity within the “Mendoza tongue” of the formation.
The Chilean state company doubled its profits while advancing a diversification plan, though it is considering the possibility of exporting unconventional oil from Neuquén via the Pacific Ocean through the port of San Vicente.
Argentina accelerated its geopolitical energy and mining agenda this week, signing a U.S. partnership on critical minerals and a complementary deal with Abu Dhabi and Italy’s state energy company. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno defended the Washington agreements at the Munich Security Conference.
The Punta Colorada Terminal, the endpoint of the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) pipeline, is advancing with roof assembly on two of the six planned storage tanks. With total storage capacity of 720,000 cubic meters and an investment exceeding $3 billion, the project is designed to transport up to 550,000 barrels per day and establish a new crude export route from Río Negro province on Argentina’s Atlantic coast.
The swap with Pluspetrol could act as a catalyst to unlock the project, where key players have already begun positioning themselves. By consolidating control over high-density gas areas, YPF is building the stable, large-scale supply base needed to make a megaproject like Argentina LNG financially viable.
The updated Country Limitation Schedule (CLS) allows short- and medium-term credit for Argentina’s public and private sectors. Within the framework of the Reciprocal Trade and Investment Agreement (ARTI), the EXIM Bank decision is set to support projects in Vaca Muerta, lithium and infrastructure, marking a key financial endorsement in the relationship between Buenos Aires and Washington.
Innovative solutions use energy-saving algorithms that evaluate the time of day, natural lighting and the total load on the power grid, ensuring stadiums operate at maximum efficiency regardless of the
These are critical days for Argentina’s economic dynamics. The energy sector is bringing in dollars through financing, while sectors tied to the RIGI are driving domestic activity. New regulations are creating incentives to capitalize on the favorable momentum in emerging markets.
The net contribution of these assets to Vista is significant, adding approximately 21,869 boe/d (based on Q3 2025 production at post-deal stakes) and 54 million boe of additional proven reserves.
The Anglo-Dutch oil company is weighing a sale of its assets in the Neuquén shale formation, valued in the billions of dollars, amid a global reshuffling of its energy portfolio.
YPF and Pluspetrol sealed a cashless asset swap that will allow the state-controlled oil company to consolidate full control of three key areas in Vaca Muerta, while the private firm repositions itself in high-potential blocks through Vaca Muerta Inversiones.
